Austrian presidential run-off including far-right on knife-edge
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria’s presidential election was too close to call on Sunday, meaning postal ballots were set to determine whether a eurosceptic anti-immigration candidate would become the European Union’s first far-right head of state.
Heavy air strikes hit rebel road to Syria’s Aleppo: monitor, rebels
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) – Air strikes hit the only road into rebel-held areas of Aleppo city on Sunday in the heaviest bombing since February, a rebel official and monitors said, jeopardizing access where around 300,000 Syrians live.
Libyan coastguard intercepts 850 migrants at sea
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libyan coastguards intercepted about 850 migrants on Sunday off the coast near the western city of Sabratha, a spokesman said.
Egypt sends robot submarine to help plane crash search
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt has sent a robot submarine to join the hunt for an EgyptAir plane which crashed in some of the deepest waters of the Mediterranean Sea with 66 people on board, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday.
France has reserves to cope with oil refinery blockades, PM says
PARIS (Reuters) – Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday France had enough fuel reserves to tackle shortages at hundreds of gas stations caused by workers blocking oil refineries and depots in protest against reforms to labor laws.
Austria sends more police to patrol Brenner border area
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria is sending 80 more police and support staff to boost patrols around the Alpine Brenner pass and catch rising numbers of unregistered migrants coming in from Italy, Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said on Sunday.
Brazil president reinstates Culture Ministry after artists protest
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s interim President Michel Temer will reinstate the Culture Ministry on Monday, a government official said, after an outcry from some of the country’s top artists over his policy to fold it into the Education Ministry to sa…
Erdogan ally takes over as Turkish PM, vowing stronger presidency
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan confirmed Binali Yildirim, a close ally for two decades and a co-founder of the ruling AK Party, as his new prime minister on Sunday, taking a big step toward the stronger presidential powers he has l…
Tajik leader strengthening grip on power in volatile region
ALMATY (Reuters) – President Imomali Rakhmon seems set to strengthen his power by referendum on Sunday as Tajikistan, on the front line against militancy and crime from neighboring Afghanistan, sinks deeper into an economic crisis and simmering discont…
Iraqi forces prepare offensive on IS-held Falluja
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s military said on Sunday it was preparing to launch an offensive to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Falluja and told residents to get ready to leave before fighting started.
