Vienna / AFP The UN refugee agency said on Wednesday Austria is in danger of breaking a decades-old tradition of helping those in need, after Vienna moved a step closer to potentially shutting its borders to migrants. “Since World War II, Austria has always adhered to the tradition of protecting refugees. Access to the asylum process has always been a …

  Istanbul / AFP Washington and Ankara are ready to work together to push IS extremists out of their self-declared Syrian capital of Raqa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in comments published on Wednesday. Erdogan said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do “what is necessary” to drive …

  Berlin / AFP Chancellor Angela Merkel called on her ruling coalition on Wednesday to resist pressure to change its refugee policy after a stinging defeat to the upstart anti-migrant AfD in regional polls at the weekend. In her first address to parliament since Sunday’s election in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Merkel defended her welcoming stance to refugees …