Austrian Chancellor quits after party revolt

VIENNA • Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann quit yesterday, bowing to pressure two weeks after the anti-immigration far-right dealt his coalition a historic blow in the first round of presidential elections.

The centre-left 56-year-old, the chancellor since 2008, said he no longer had "strong backing" in his Social Democrats party (SPOe). His replacement, Vice-chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner, who heads the conservative People's Party in coalition with the SPOe, said he saw no need for a snap election.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Australia stops 3 boats with asylum-seekers

SYDNEY • Australia has this year intercepted three asylum-seeker boats, including one carrying women and children from Sri Lanka, it revealed yesterday.

Under Canberra's hardline measures, asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are either sent back or to remote island camps, where living conditions have been criticised.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

French MP quits National Assembly post

PARIS • French lawmaker Denis Baupin resigned as vice-president of the National Assembly yesterday after fellow politicians accused him of sexual harassment.

He kept his seat as an elected member of the Lower House of Parliament, and rejected the accusations.

REUTERS